My nominees for the MacIver Institute end of the legislative session awards

Taxpayer Hero – Has to be State Representative Leah Vukmir, for stopping the RTA with a timely amendment.Taxpayer Villain – State Representative Jeff Wood. He’s going to jail, the legislature is going home, and he adds a staff member. The former father of TABOR sold every vote to the Democrats just to cling to his seat a little longer.Friend of the Free Market – State Representative Bill Kramer. He almost got the minimum mark-up on prescription drugs repealed.Outstanding Citizen-Legislator – State Representative Stephen Nass. Alone among his colleagues, he demanded the legislature have some standards of conduct.Most Powerful Capitol Player – State Senator Russ Decker “Hey look Jim. No bills.” When Decker says its time to go home, everyone goes home.Least Effective Capitol Player – Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. His party’s candidate for governor, he certainly does not have a lot of friends in Madison.Jedi Mind Trick Double Speaker The Public Service Commission “No, really, if we choose more expensive alternative fuels, energy costs will go down.”Mr. or Mrs. Sensitivity – State Representative Pedro Colon. When he criticized his colleague State Representative Nass for attending his mother’s wake rather than being in Madison, Colon demonstrated that he’s a real low-rent jerk.Steel Spine – State Representative Jim Ott, no fair weather friend. Ott stood up to the environmentalists and won the battle over the global warming bill.Spine of Jello – Speaker Mike Sheridan. Have you noticed the skirt lengths worn by lobbyists have grown shorter? Not since Salome danced was a leader so malleable to a pretty face on an issue.

Note: I hoped to have this posted at noon today, but circumstances beyond my control prevented it. – JW